Cycas-leaf holder.



PATENTED AUG. 6, 1907.

W. N. REED. GYGAS LEAP HOLDER. APPLICATION FILED JAN. 15, 1907.

' N VE N TOH 7672mm mead m WITNESSES WILLIAM NICHOLAS REED, OF NEW YORK,N. Y.

CYGAS-LEAF HOLDER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 6, 1907.

Application filed January 15,1907. Serial No. 352,392.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM NICHOLAS Reno, a. citizen of the UnitedStates, and a resident of the city of New York, borough of Manhattan, inthe county and State of New York, have invented a new and ImprovedOycas-Leaf Holder, of which the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription.

My invention relates to means for holding leaves, flowers and the like,and more particularly for holding cycas leaves in definite positionsuitable for ornamentation.

My invention admits of general use, but is used especially for thedecoration and adornment of caskets, eoflins, graves, and the like.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part ofthis specification, in which similar characters of reference indicatecorresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a front elevation showing three cycas leaves crossed andheld together by means of my device; Fig. 2 is a fragmentary enlargedview otherwise similar to Fig. 1, the ribbon being removed and showingthe manner in which the leaf stems are crossed and held firmly indefinite relation; Fig. 3 is an enlarged cross section through the threecycas leaves crossed, shown in Fig. 1, the leaf holder of my inventionbeing here seen in elevation and used for the purpose of clasping thethree leaves together as crossed; Fig. 4 is a perspective showing theform of my invention adapted to hold two of the cycas leaves crossed, asindicated by dotted lines.

The cycas leaf holder is made entirely from a single piece of springwire. At each end of thesection 5, the wire is bent upward at (i andbackward upon itself at 8, the loop thus formed being bent over so as toform a hook 7, the wire being now bent at 9, 10, 11, 12 in serpentineform and provided with straight portions 13 terminating in loops 14. Thestraight portions 13 serve as latches, the loops 14 as handles, and theloops 12 as spring hinges. In order to release these latches 13 fromtheir hooks 7, the operator grasps the loop l4, presses it downwardlyand out under the hook 7, whereupon it will spring obliquely upward. Inorder to insert the leaves, both latches 13 are released from the hooks7.

The form shown in Fig. 4 is employed where only two cycas leaves are tobe secured together. If there are three leaves to be secured asindicated in Figs. 1 and 2, the form shown in Fig. 3 is preferable. Inthis form there is a straight connecting portion 15, the wire being bentupwardly at 16 and bent back upon itself at 18, and bent over so as toform a hook 17. The wire is again bent at 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24 inserpentine form, the bends 19, 21, 23 being larger than the bends 20,22.

The straight portions 25 of the wire are integral with the loops 24 andterminate in loops 26. The construction of the form shown in Fig. 3differs but little therefore, from that shown in Fig. 4, the distinctionbeing in the number of bends. In the form shown in Fig. 3 the action ispractically the same as that in Fig. 4.

In Fig. 3 the stems of the cycas leaves are shown at 27, 28, 29. In Fig.4 the stems of the leaves are shown in dotted lines at 31, 32. v

A ribbon 30 may be tied about the bunch of cycas leaves so as toencircle the device of my invention.

My device is used as follows: In order to secure the leaves by means ofthe device shown in Fig. 4, the stem 32 is laid obliquely in relationtothe position of the device so that the stem rests in the bends 9 and11. The other leaf is now laid in such position that the stem 31 passesthrough bends 9, 11; the two stems 31, 32 thus cross each other at asuitable angle. The loops 14 are now grasped by the operator and bytheir aid the latches 13 are sprung downwardly so as to catch beneaththe hooks 7 and thus hold the two leaves firmly, but with the properdegree of resilience. This resilience is necessary, for the reason thatthe stems have more or less resilience and in becoming slightly wiltedthey may shrink or change form, so that in order to maintain thepressure upon them necessary to hold them in proper position, thefastening must have a high degree of elasticity.

In order to use the form shown in Fig. 3, the stem 29 is placedobliquely in position, substantially as above described; the stem 28 isnext placed across the stem 29 and finally the stem 27 is laid upon thestem 28 in-such manner as to coincide with the general direction of thelength of the cycas holder, as indicated in Figs. 1 and 2.

The ribbon 30 may be tied into a bow, and is used in connection witheither of the two forms above described. The cycas leaf holder affords agood point at which the ribbon may readily be tied without danger ofsliding off in either direction. The cycas leaves being securedtogether, as above described, may be readily handled without danger ofbeing shaken apart or displaced relatively to each other. Should thecomplete decoration shown in Fig. 1 be rested in such position that oneof the stems 10, 11 or 12 happens to support all or an undue portion ofthe weight, this can have no effect in disturbing the relative positionsof the cycas leaves. When the latter are thus put together they remainin the same relation for an inde[i nite length of time. 1

Decorations of the kind shown in Fig. 1, considered as completearticles, may be sold by florists in much the same manner as if theleaves and ribbons were sold separately. The decorations thus completemay be laid directly upon Gowns, caskets, graves Orcemetery i memberprovided with substantially U-shaped holding lots, and require nofastenings Whatever and no further manipulation.

Having thus described my invention I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent:

1. A cycas leaf holder made of a single piece of spring wire providedwith a longitudinal portion, a hook portion, separate loops, :1 springloop portion, straight portions serving as latches, and loops serving ashandles for said latches.

2. A device of the character described, comprising a members (9, 10, 11separated from each other and adapted to receive floral stems crossed,and further comprising latch portions 13, and means for holding saidlatch por- 15 tions in predetermined positions relatively to saidU-shaped members.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing Witnesses.

\VILLIAM NICHOLAS REED.

Witnesses:

ALEXANDER LnvnNn, FRANK M. HILL.

